Why Hanley Ramirez is buying into 'The TB12 Method'

BALTIMORE -- The conversation started as some enlightenment as to how Hanley Ramirez was going to manage these bad shoulders of his, the ones that have kept him out the lineup for almost week.

Wednesday night marked the first time since last Thursday he was back in the batting order, so some kind of plan had to be put in place during the layoff to get the designated hitter ready for a possible postseason run. So, what was it?

"What I've been doing this past week, a lot of bands," Ramirez said. "You get stronger and faster. You have to send the message to your brain that you work fast. Quick hands."

The wording rang a bell. It sounded a lot like what we've been hearing every time Tom Brady's recently-book book 'The TB12 Method' was mentioned. Could what Ramirez was talking about be in line with the quarterback's message? It seems so.

"It does [work]," Ramirez said of the aforementioned kind of workout. "Five championships? Yeah, it does."

Ramirez went on to offer proof that he was practicing at least some of what Brady was preaching.

"I've got them right here. You want to see them?" he asked, referencing the bands he had been wearing out over the past week.

So off he went, through the clubhouse, across the hallway and into the visitors' weight room. A few seconds later, there they were: Exercise bands with the "TB12" logo imprinted on each.

WEEI.com photo

The workout is all part of a process Ramirez planning to get him to a better place with his shoulders and entire body. The 33-year-old is entering potentially the final year of his contract, which has a vesting option for 2019 if he reaches 1,050 plate appearacnes between this season and next. Heading into Wednesday night he stood at 523 plate appearances for 2017.

Ramirez -- who says he has no plans to undergo any kind of surgery -- understands a new plan has to be put in place.

"Hell, yeah," he said when asked if he was going to do anything differently this offseason. "I'm going to jump in right after the last out of the World Series, go right back into the guy and I'm going to focus on my little muscles around my rotator cuff, hips and core.

"I'm not going to try and get too big but really, really strong, deep in my body. I'm already strong mentally. I just have to be strong with my small muscles because I'm getting older. That's exactly what I'm going to do. A lot of Yoga."

It isn't the first time Ramirez has chosen strengthening his shoulders instead of going the surgery route, having made a similar decision after the 2015 season. But, as he explained, last season heavier weights were prioritized, an approach the DH plans to go away from this time around.

"I was a little bit heavier with my weights. I was lifting a lot. I'm going to go lighter," he explained. "I just have to get [the shoulders] stronger. I've done it before."